The Frail Scholar at the End of Ancient Times

Chapter 24: Great Immortal, Please Stay!

The talismans from Daoist Master Qingyi saw the "good brother" off on his final journey. It was crucial that this "good brother" could never rise again, from this life to the next, and the next…

County Lieutenant Zhou's mind was racing, already considering what to send off the next "good brother" with.

People cared about their legacy. County Lieutenant Zhou pondered that in the future, when he encountered others, he would ensure these brothers received a "dignified" send-off.

Some could share poverty but not wealth. Others were the opposite; when times were good, they called each other brothers with genuine affection.

But when hardship struck, they betrayed each other, each with their own ulterior motives. Zhou Shan had no grand ambitions now, only thinking of getting revenge when the opportunity arose and surviving with his last three remaining family members.

Returning to the group, they continued their journey. County Lieutenant Zhou restrained his killing aura, kept an eye on his surroundings, and chatted with Little Liu.

Little Liu enjoyed listening to him talk about official duties. It was a position Little Liu wouldn't have dared to dream of; before, he couldn't even get a word in when visiting the county town.

Zhou Shan also wanted to integrate into this small team and was willing to talk more. He didn't put on airs; the world had changed, and not just for him, a mere county lieutenant; even the high officials above them weren't much anymore.

Zhou Shan chatted with Little Liu about the ferry town. Since they were far away and had many family and friends with them before, they hadn't considered going there.

Now, they had to head north to seek refuge, and the town wasn't far from their planned route."The terrain there isn't flat, with difficult mountain paths.

Outsiders might not find the way easily, but if they do, reaching it is rather quick," Zhou Shan said.

"Although it's not large, the townspeople are wealthy, and the town has inns, teahouses, wine shops, and entertainment venues.

I used to go there often… for official duties, purely official duties!"

During their casual conversation, Zhou Shan recalled the bustling riverside town he had visited many times. Each trip there for cases brought both joy and sorrow.

The joy came from the many wealthy households that knew how to "treat" officials. The sorrow stemmed from the same issue: wealthy families had powerful backing, and any action could have far-reaching consequences.

As a mere county lieutenant, he was outmatched and sometimes had to turn a blind eye. He wondered what that town was like now.

Wen Gu was very cautious. They were just a small team, and there were three children in their group, so they couldn't afford any losses.

They needed to make thorough plans and preparations. They discussed it many times on the journey.

Thus, and so, they planned before acting.

Then, they discovered the town was already empty.

Literally. There were no evil creatures, no people.

Whether it was the houses, restaurants, pharmacies, or warehouses, everything was empty. Standing in the middle of the town's road, Wen Gu looked at an arrow shot into a tree not far away.

The arrow had the remains of an evil creature attached to it. Judging by the degree of decay, this had happened at least half a year ago.

This meant that early this year, a well-equipped team might have passed through the area by water, clearing out the evil creatures and taking the goods. It was highly likely to be a migrating army or noble and influential families heading north during the cold weather.

County Lieutenant Zhou's mental state was a little broken.

"Someone's already been here!" He had thought they could find more supplies here – armor, weapons, food, and items to ward off evil spirits.

But upon arriving at the town, it all turned to dust. The town wasn't large, and there were only a few warehouses, all of which had been opened and emptied.

Even if the warehouses didn't contain grain or weapons, other goods like cloth, sundries, spices, and medicinal herbs were vital in chaotic times, becoming increasingly scarce and valuable.

Wen Gu wasn't overly disappointed; he had never underestimated the elites of feudal society.

"There are many intelligent people in this world." Those who survived the initial epidemic and could lead a large group north to safety would clear out supply points along the way.

It seemed that when searching for supplies in the future, they couldn't hold much hope for villages and towns near the main land and water routes.

Daoist Master Qingyi noticed a few small pieces of ore in a corner of the warehouse that hadn't been taken.

The people who came to search for supplies here likely wouldn't recognize them and would find them troublesome to carry. However, for their alchemy, it was a pleasant surprise! Wen Gu didn't understand them either, but he trusted the professional competence of these chemists.

Respect the choices of professional talent!

Little Liu was dejected; he had hoped to find more food, salt, and iron here.

"All those things were shipped away? What a massive ship! Didn't they say it was dangerous with evil gu in the water? Why did those wealthy families still travel by water?"

Zhou Shan explained, "The ships of noble and influential families can be larger than my house, and they have more than one.

They can carry a lot of goods. They would store plenty of clean water and wouldn't use river water.

Also, ships have stoves, and stocking up on firewood eliminates most dangers. They only need to guard against attacks from the banks where the river narrows."

Little Liu looked at the river ahead.

"It's the dry season now. Will any more fleets pass through?"

Zhou Shan said, "Perhaps on other rivers.

But on this one, the water level drops significantly during the dry season. The wealthy families along the banks either travel by land in autumn and winter or wait until spring to travel by water."

Zhou Shan's gaze was distant. The once richest town in the county, the bustling ferry crossing, was now eerily silent.

Occasionally, the calls of wild beasts could be heard from the mountains. Even the evil creatures from outside didn't come this way, as there hadn't been the "scent of human blood" for a long time.

Rustle— A yellowish-brown figure flickered through the withered grass nearby. Little Liu's dejection vanished, and he quickly stood up.

Zhou Shan thought Little Liu was about to draw his bow and hunt some game. However, Little Liu bowed respectfully in that direction.

"Greetings, Great Immortal!"

Zhou Shan: ???

Little Liu happily shared, "Second Brother Wen heard about the Great Yellow Immortal demanding blessings when he was traveling…" He recounted the story Wen Gu had told him about a weasel asking passersby for blessings.

Zhou Shan's expression became solemn, and he, like Little Liu, bowed towards the yellowish-brown figure.

"Greetings, Great Immortal!" County Lieutenant Zhou believed in gods and ghosts; otherwise, he wouldn't have asked the Daoist master to chant spells for that "good brother" to curse his soul and ensure he could never rise again. Although Little Liu also relayed Wen Gu's later clarifications, Zhou Shan, like Little Liu, believed the Great Yellow Immortal likely existed.

Facing what seemed to be a legendary immortal, Zhou Shan didn't know how to react, but flattering it first was definitely the right move. So, imitating the scholars and gentlemen he had seen before, he praised: "All things have spirits.

The world must have such divine beasts that can ward off evil and disasters for all beings, carrying beautiful wishes!"

However, the Great Yellow Immortal in the grass merely watched them warily for a moment before its aim became clear: it charged towards a plump rat hiding in the shadows. The two looked similar in size, and the Great Yellow Immortal even appeared leaner.

After a struggle, the Great Yellow Immortal fully displayed the combat prowess of the weasel family, finally managing to bite the plump rat's neck and drag it away. Zhou Shan and Little Liu stood frozen, not daring to disturb it, and only offered a respectful farewell as the Great Yellow Immortal departed.

Daoist Master Qingyi chuckled. He had indeed seen places where certain wild animals were demonized or deified during his travels.

But having seen so much, he knew that most of it was fabricated and guided by swindlers. The common people were the easiest to believe such things.

Therefore, the Daoist Master had always believed that targeting the common folk was beneath him and lacked class. He usually targeted those with considerable wealth and status.

However, the times had changed, and adjustments were necessary. The hearts of the common people could be utilized! This was true in Ge Village and here as well.

The characteristics of these two important combat members in the small team made Daoist Master Qingyi feel that his "first-mover advantage" was not far off. Beneficial to this Daoist Master! The ultimate say in this northward journey would eventually lean towards me! He was about to find an opportunity to subtly mock Wen Gu when he suddenly felt a prickle of alarm.

He waited, but there was no movement. Something was wrong; why wasn't the "dog scholar" making a sound? He looked up and saw Wen Gu staring intently at the plump rat that had been dragged away, lost in thought.

"What is it?" the Daoist Master asked.

"Why was that rat so fat?" Wen Gu said.

"Of course…" County Lieutenant Zhou and Little Liu, who were bowing to the Great Yellow Immortal, paused simultaneously. On issues concerning survival, a little reminder was enough to make their minds race: the townspeople and their goods were gone.

A faction had already arrived and cleaned everything up, and the grain and goods had been taken away. The town didn't look like it had been inhabited for a long time.

What had the town's rats been eating for so long to get so plump? It must be… hidden grain! Perhaps it was hidden in rat holes? Or maybe someone still had stored goods that weren't taken away? Following the fat rat would surely lead them to the hidden grain!

County Lieutenant Zhou and Little Liu's expressions changed drastically. They immediately straightened up, one grabbing a knife, the other nocking an arrow.

"Great Immortal!"

"Please stay, Great Immortal!" Hurry up and leave that fat rat for us!!

(End of this chapter)